First Commercial Flight Takes Off from St. Augustine

[thelakelander]

By Jessica Clark
First Coast News

ST. AUGUSTINE, FL -- The first commercial flight out of the St. Augustine Airport was an hour late, but that didn’t seem to dampen the excitement.

The inaugural Skybus flight from Columbus, Ohio to St. Augustine and back was successful.

The brand new Skybus terminal was buzzing Wednesday. Once officials cut the ribbon inside the terminal, passengers checked in, identification cards were checked, and bags were x-rayed -- just like at any other airport.

Terri Huebler from Holly Hill has been bragging that she’s on the first Skybus flight out of St. Augustine.

“Everybody in [Holly Hill} knows that I’m going to be on the first flight,” Huebler said with a laugh.

It’s perfect for her because her family is around Ohio. Skybus officials say St. Augustine seemed like a perfect place for them.

“It’s a perfection location between Jacksonville and Daytona,” Denis Carlin of Skybus said. “It’s an under-utilized facility and it makes it really easy for us to get a plane in and out of here in our 25 minute turns, which is what we do.”

With much fanfare, Skybus landed in St. Augustine about 3:45 in the afternoon. In less than 25 minutes, the plane was boarded again and bound for Columbus.

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/topstories/news-article.aspx?storyid=87191&GID=zke9K58FSi+IOmYjUwUr+Yh0E4AFC+YW0BfoWXUQVaM%3D

[fsujax]

Not everyone is happy about this.  I drove down that way yesterday and saw a protester with a sign saying no to commercial flights.